Necktie stretcher



May 1, 1962 G. BROWN NECKTIE STRETCHER Filed Dec. 25, 1960 LEM UAL G.BROWN INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY nite State 3,032,241 NECKTIE STRETCHER Lemual G. Brown, Box8777, Britten, Okla. Filed Dec. 23, 1960, Ser. No. 78,157 3 Claims. (Cl.223-65) atent and varied styles or forms of necktie stretchers andshapers referred to as pressers, stretchers, shape restorers and so on.Often these prior patents reveal constructions which are more or lesscomplicated and require considerable machine work for their production,thus resulting in a relatively expensive device which, it is presumed,is one reason that they have not come in widespread use.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the instant invention tostructurally and functionally improve on the prior art constructions toprovide a feasible and practicable tie stretcher device in which themanufacturer and user will find their needs more conveniently met.

Another object is to provide a device of this class which is ofrelatively small size, of light weight and is easily operated.

Another object is to provide a necktie stretcher which features anexpansible and contractible form adapted to fit a plurality of sizes ofneckties.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stretcher form whichmay be safely inserted within and removed from a necktie which rendersitself to practicable use during the period in which the tie is Washedor cleaned and will restore and maintain the desired shape of the tieuntil the latter is ready for use.

A further object is to provide a device of this class wherein thecomponent parts are all interconnected and which requires no manualmanipulation of individual parts of the device to position the latter intie stretching position.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objects by forming aframe comprising a pair of elongated stretcher bars which are springbiased toward a desired tie stretching position.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying single sheet of drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the device illustrating, by dotted lines, itsrelationship to a four-in-hand tie held in stretching position; and

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view, to an enlarged scale, takensubstantially along line 22 of FIG. 1.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures ofthe drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates a substantially A-shaped frame orform, as a whole, comprising a pair of elongated coplanar stretcher bars12 and 14. The stretcher bars are identical in construction, beingformed of light weight but strong rustproof metallic material, and areeach channel or U-shaped in cross-section with the longitudinal edge orbight portion 16 of each U-shape disposed oppositely outward. The bars12 and 14 are each tapered longitudinally toward their upper ends asseen in FIG. 1. The respective ends of each bar are rounded off, as at13 and 15, for the purposes which will presently be apparent. The legportions 18 and 20 of each U-shaped bar are pressed throughout theirlength to a converging relation in a manner and for the purposes whichwill be more fully explained hereinbelow.

An endless spring member 22, substantially ovate in ice plan view,extends between the bars 12' and 14 adjacent the bottom or wide portionof the frame. The spring 22 is preferably circular in cross section andis secured at its minor axis between the legs 18 and 20 of therespective bar by a clamp member 24 thus positioning the major axis ofthe ovate shape longitudinally of the frame. Diametrically the spring 22is of such size with respect to the spacing between the longitudinalfree edges of the converging leg portions of the bars 12 and14 that thespring is freely received therebetween. The clampmembers 24 compriserelatively short sections of substantially U-shaped metallic materialinterposed between the legs 18 and 20 with the bight portion of theclamp adjacent the inner surface of the bight portion 16. A portion ofthe spring 22 is positioned between the legs adjacent the inner surfaceof the bight portion forming the U-shaped clamp member 24. The bars 12and 14 are each pressed from opposing sides at the location of the clampmember 24 adjacent but spaced inwardly of the adjacent portion of thespring. The pressing action, indicated at 26, is applied with such forcethat the leg members of the respective clamp member 24 are forcedinwardly toward each other thus impinging that portion of the spring 22within the clamp member. This securely holds both the clamp member 24and spring 22' against longitudinal movement of either of the latterwith respect to the respective bar 12 or 14. One end portion 23 of thespring member 22 projects beyond the adjacent ends of the bars 12 and 14to provide a means of engagement with a wall hook or the like, notshown, to support the frame.

A similar ovate spring member 28 is'secured in a similar manner to theopposite or converging end portion of the bars 12 and 14 by clampmembers 24 and pressing action at 26. The spring member 28 issubstantially smaller than the spring member 22. The spring members 22and 28 are formed of sufiiciently resilient metallic material,preferably stainless steel wire, so that the spring members maintain thebars in coplanar relation and normally bias the bars outwardly oppositeeach other. The size of the frame It! is preferably such that it may beused in either end portion of a four-in-hand tie.

Operation In operation the stretcher or frame bars 12 and 14 aremanually forced together or toward each other by compressing the ovatespring members 22 and 28. When the inward longitudinal edges of the barsare juxtaposed, substantially all of each spring member 22 and 28 ispositioned between the leg portions of the respective bar. The smalleror converging end 30 of the frame is inserted into the open end of afour-in-hand tie 31. The opposite or transversely wider end of theframe, defined by the bars, is disposed adjacent the end of the lateralfolds of the tie as defined by the converging tip end 32 of the apronportion of the tie. Obviously if the device 10 is of greater length thanthe tie, as when using the device in a relatively narrow tie, anyportion of the frame may be permitted to extend beyond the apron portion32 of the tie. The bars 12 and 14 are released and are biased outwardlyby the resilience of the spring members 22 and 28 so that the bightportions 16 of each stretcher bar contacts the respective inward surfaceof the tie fold as may be seen from an examination of FIG. 2. Theinwardly converging longitudinal free edges of the stretcher bar legs 18and 20 are disposed in spaced relation with respect to the inner surfaceof the tie so that no crease or ridge will result or be evident when thedevice is removed from the tie. The fabric material of the tie isusually such that when subjected to the lateral stretching force appliedby the device the end result will be a removal or elimination of allwrinkles or creases in the apron portion of the tie after leaving thedevice in 3 the tie for a relative short period of time. Undesirablewrinkles or creases may be more easily removed from the tie afterpositioning the device in place by holding the tie over a steam jet orthe like. 7

Obviously the device may be used as a stretcher for reshaping the tiewhile drying after the same has been cleaned as by washing.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alterationwithout defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to beconfined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and describedherein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A removable stretcher frame for a four-in-hand necktie, comprising: apair of elongated coplanar bars, each said bar being transverselyrelatively narrow with respect to its length and substantially U-shapedin cross section and having a longitudinal outwardly disposed arcuatebight portion with the longitudinal leg portions of the respectiveU-shaped bar projecting toward the leg portions of the opposite said barand converging to ward each other; a pair of endless substantially ovateshaped spring members extending between and connected in space relation,adjacent their minor axes, to said U- shaped bars between the legsthereof; and U-shaped clamp members interposed between the leg portionsof each said bar surrounding an adjacent portion of each said springmember in gripping relation.

2. A removable stretcher frame for a four-in-hand necktie, comprising: apair of elongated longitudinally tapered bars, each said bar beingU-shaped in cross section and having an arcuate bight portion with theleg portions of the respective U-shaped bar projecting toward theopposite said bar and converging toward each other; a plurality ofendless substantially ovate shaped necktie, comprising: a pair ofelongated coplanar bars, each said bar being transversely relativelynarrow with respect to its length and substantially U-shaped incrosssection and having a longitudinal outwardly disposed arcuate bightportion with the longitudinal leg portions of the respective U-shapedbar converging toward each other to define a longitudinal inwardlydisposed edge for each bar of less thickness than the arcuatelongitudinal bight portion thereof; a pair of rod-like substantial- 1yovate shaped endless spring members extending between and connected inspaced-apart relation, adjacent their minor axes, to the respective endportions of said U-shaped bars between the legs thereof; and relativelyshort U-shaped clamp members interposed between the leg portions of eachsaid bar and surrounding an adjacent portion of each said spring memberin gripping relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS850,046 Pearson Apr. 9, 1907 859,051 Dorward July 2, 1907 2,652,956Rieck Sept. 22, 1953

